French Onion Dip

I am kind of famous amongst my friends for my French onion dip recipe. While I do love a simple, two-ingredient dip with sour cream and Lipton’s French onion soup powder — and make it often — my homemade version takes things to a whole other level. 

Here, caramelized onions deliver a dip that is both deeply savory and rich, which is something you just won’t get without putting in a little time. I also mix in my secret ingredient: fish sauce. It adds an extra layer of umami flavor and doesn’t taste fishy at all (you can substitute soy sauce or tamari if that just isn’t your vibe). With its deep, jammy onion flavor and creamy texture, my French onion dip is always worth the extra effort.  

• Onions. Yellow onions will become rich, savory, and a little sweet after caramelizing. Slice them as thinly as possible before cooking to ensure the best dip texture.
• Vinegar. I like sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar here, but white wine and apple cider vinegar will also work well and give some balanced acidity.
• Fish sauce. It won’t taste fishy, but fish sauce will add a deliciously salty, umami flavor.
• Worcestershire sauce. Adds more umami and that quintessential French onion vibe.
• Sour cream. Creamy sour cream has a luxurious texture when mixed with the caramelized onions.
• Chives. Thinly sliced chives add a pop of freshness and color as a garnish.
• Accompaniments. Sturdy, ridged chips and vegetable crudité are the perfect dippers.

• Slice the onions. Halve the onions, then thinly slice (ideally about 1/8-inch thick). You can do this by hand, but a mandoline or food processor with a slicing attachment will help ease the process.
• Caramelize the onions. Starting the onions covered (with a generous amount of olive oil) allows the steam to give them a head-start on cooking down. You’ll want to adjust the heat as needed and stir the onions often to make sure they brown evenly and to prevent them from burning. 
• Deglaze the pan. Add water at the end to loosen the fond — a rich layer of browned goodness on the bottom of the pan — and incorporate all that flavor back into the onions. Stir in a little vinegar, fish sauce, and Worcestershire.
• Finish the dip. Once the onions cool slightly, combine with sour cream and chill so the flavors can meld. Sprinkle with chives just before serving with chips or crudité (or both!).

While I generally follow this recipe to the letter, here are a few ways I’ve tweaked it with great success.

• Swap out half of the sour cream for Greek yogurt for a lighter, tangier flavor.
• Add a couple dashes of

  umeboshi vinegar

• Swap half of the onions by weight for shallots.
• Deglaze the pan with dry white wine instead of water.
• Add fresh thyme to the onions while caramelizing (discard any stems before mixing with the dip).

• Use it as a spread on a sandwich, patty melt, or grilled cheese.
• Spoon it into a baked potato or French onion dip mashed potatoes.
• Warm the dip and use it as a sauce for chicken, Swedish meatballs, or pasta.
• Use as a replacement for the sour cream, yogurt, or buttermilk in any biscuit and scone recipes.
• Spread the dip on chicken or pork and let marinate for 2 hours before cooking.